1 Chron. 2 The sons of Israel; of Judah by Tamar: the children of Jesse, 1 Chron. 2:1–17. Of Caleb the son of Hezron; of him by the daughter of Machir, 1 Chron. 2:18–21. Of Jerahmeel, 1 Chron. 2:25–33. Of Sheshan, 1 Chron. 2:34–41. Another branch of Caleb’s posterity, 1 Chron. 2:42–49.

He puts Judah first, because the best part of the right of the first-born, to wit, the dominion, was conferred upon him, Gen. 49:8, and because the Messiah was to come out of his loins.

If these be the same who are mentioned as the sons of Mahol, 1 Kings 4:31, either the same man had two names, Zerah and Mahol, as was usual among the Hebrews; or one of these was their immediate father, and the other their grandfather.

Carmi is here mentioned, because he was the son of Zimri, who is also called Zabdi, Josh. 7:1. Achar; called Achan, Josh. 7:1, and here Achar, with a little variation for greater significancy; for Achar signifies a troubler.

Eliab, called also Elihu. 1 Chron. 27:18 unless that was another person, and the word brother to be taken largely for a kinsman, as is frequently used.

For though he had eight sons, 1 Sam. 16:10, one of them either died presently after that time, or is neglected for some reason now unknown, as others are. See Poole “Matt. 1:8”, See Poole “Matt. 1:9”.

The Ishmeelite, by birth or habitation, but by profession an Israelite, 2 Sam. 17:25, See Poole “2 Sam. 17:25”.

Not that Caleb, Num. 13:6, for he was the son of Jephunneh, of whom he speaks, 1 Chron. 4:15; but another Caleb. Her sons, i.e. the sons, either, 1. Of Jerioth, she being last mentioned; or rather, 2.

Went in, i.e. lay with her, as that phrase is commonly used, as Gen. 4:1, Gen. 6:4. The father of Gilead; of a man so called. Or if Gilead be the name of that known country, father is put for head or governor, as it is used 1 Sam. 24:11, 2 Kings 5:13, 2 Kings 16:7, Isa.

Which he had, though he was of the tribe of Judah, as here we see, because he married a daughter of Manasseh, Num. 26:29, whence he is called a son of Manasseh, Num. 32:41, Deut.

And he took, or, for he had taken. So this is the reason why he had so great a territory and jurisdiction given to him. Geshur and Aram; two cities or great towns so called. With the towns of Jair, i.e. with those twenty-three cities which he is said to have, 1 Chron. 2:22. From them, i.e.

Caleb-ephratah; a place then so called by a conjunction of the names of the man and his wife; afterwards supposed to be called Beth-lehem Ephratah. Others translate the words thus, When Caleb took Ephratah. So it is an ellipsis of the verb, which is here to be understood out of 1 Chron.

Or, of (the prefix, mere being oft understood) Ahijah; his wife so called, as may seem probable from the next verse, where he mentions another wife.

The sons of Appaim; an expression oft used, both afterwards in this verse, and elsewhere, and in profane authors too, where there is but one son. It is an enallage of the number, which is frequent in the Hebrew.

Sheshan had no sons, to wit, living when he died, his son Ahlai, 1 Chron. 2:31, dying before him; unless Ahlai was the name of a daughter.

The sons of Caleb, to wit, of that Caleb mentioned 1 Chron. 2:18, as appears by comparing that verse with 1 Chron. 2:21. And these are his sons by another and his third wife. See Poole “1 Chron. 2:18”. Ziph; the name either of a man, or of a place, of which see Josh. 15:24, Josh.

A place in Judah, Josh. 15:58, See Poole on “1 Chron. 2:23”.

The sons of Jahdai, the son of Gazez last mentioned; which is implied, because he follows next after him in the genealogy. Or, the sons of Moza; whose name might be changed into Jahdai for some reason now unknown.

Madmannah: this and divers other following names are the names of places in Judah, and father is meant as 1 Chron. 2:23–24.

Salma the father of Beth-lehem, to wit, in part; for Boaz descended from another Salmon, who was the son of Nahshon, 1 Chron. 2:11. Hareph the father of Beth-gader, called also Penuel the father of Gedor, 1 Chron. 4:4.

Haroeh; which may signify an overseer, a prophet, or teacher, or ruler; but here is a proper name, as appears from 1 Chron. 4:2, where he is called Reaiah, with no great variation in the Hebrew.

The families of Kirjath-jearim; or, in Kirjath-jearim; all which descended from Shobal, 1 Chron. 2:50. Of them, i.e. of the family of the Mishraites, last mentioned. The Eshtaulites; the inhabitants of two places called Zoreah and Eshtaol, Josh. 15:33.

The sons of Salma; of that Salma mentioned 1 Chron. 2:51. Beth-lehem, i.e. the inhabitants of Beth-lehem. Ataroth; the name of a person or people. The house of Joab; the progenitors of Joab’s family. Half of the Manahethites; the other half being mentioned 1 Chron. 2:52.

The scribes; either civil, who were public notaries, who wrote and signed legal instruments; or ecclesiastical. And these were either Levites, or Simeonites, or rather Kenites, and are here mentioned not as if they were of the tribe of Judah, but because they dwelt among them, and probably were…